BLUEPRINT

for
SUCCESS
By Shiv Khera
Winners do in spite of problems.
Losers permanently rationalize.
ATTITUDE

Attitude issue
LEADERSHIP ISSUES
STEPS FOR BUILDING POSITIVE
ATTITUDE
Step1: Change focus – look for the positive - Most
people find what they are looking for. If they are
looking for friendship, happiness and the positive,
that is what they get. If they are looking for fights or
indifference, then that is what they get.

Step 2: Make a habit of doing it now - Life is not a

dress rehearsal. I don't care what philosophy you
believe in - we have got only one shot at this game
called life. The stakes are too high. The stakes are the
future generations.

Step 3: Develop an attitude of gratitude - Count your

blessings, not your troubles. Take time to smell the
roses.
STEPS FOR BUILDING POSITIVE
ATTITUDE
Step 4: Get into a continuous education program -
Spend so much time improving yourself that you
have no time left to criticize others.

Step 5: Build a positive self-esteem - If you want to

build positive self-esteem quickly, one of the fastest
ways is to do something for others who cannot repay
you in cash or kind.

Step 6: Stay away from negative influences - A

person’s character is not only judged by the company
he keeps, but also by the company he avoids.
STEPS FOR BUILDING POSITIVE
ATTITUDE
Step 7: Learn to like the things that need to be
done -
Start by doing what is necessary; then what
is possible, and suddenly you are doing the
impossible.
- St. Francis of Assisi
Step 7: Start your day with a positive -
“If you are going to change your life, you need
to start immediately and do it flamboyantly.”
WINNER vs. LOSER
Winner
The Winner is always part of the
answer;
The Winner always has a
program;
The Winner says, “Let me do it
for you”;
The Winner sees an answer for
every problem;
When a Winner makes a
mistake, he says, “I was wrong”;
A Winner makes commitments;
Winners say, “I must do
something”;
Loser
The Loser is always part of the
problem.
The Loser always has an excuse.
The Loser says, “That is not my
job.”
The Loser sees a problem for
every answer.
When a Loser makes a mistake,
he says, “It wasn't my fault.”
A Loser makes promises.
Losers say, "Something must be
done."
SUCCESS
To laugh often and love much;
To win the respect of intelligent persons
and the affection of children;
To earn the approval of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends ;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To give off one's self without the
slightest thought of return;
To have accomplished a task, whether
by a healthy child, a rescued soul, a
garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
To have played and laughed with
Enthusiasm and sung with exaltation;
To know that even one life has breathed
easier because you have lived;
This is to have succeeded.
- Anonymous
THIS WAS A MAN WHO:

failed in business at the age of 21 ;

was defeated in a legislative race at age 22;

failed again in business at age 24;

overcame the death of his sweetheart at age 26;

had a nervous breakdown at age 27;

lost a congressional race at age 34;

lost a senatorial race at age 45;

failed in an effort to become vice-president at age 47;

lost a senatorial race at age 49; and

was elected president of the United States at age 52.
This man was Abraham Lincoln
EVERY SUCCESS STORY IS A STORY
OF GREAT FAILURE

Henry Ford was broke at the age of 40.

Lee Iacocca was fired by Henry Ford II at the age
of 54.

Young Beethoven was told that he had no talent
for music, but he gave some of the best music to
the world.

In 1913, Lee De Forest, inventor of the triodes
tube, was charged by the district attorney for
using fraudulent means to mislead the public into
buying stocks of his company by claiming that he
could transmit the human voice across the
Atlantic. He was publicly humiliated.
EVERY SUCCESS STORY IS A STORY
OF GREAT FAILURE

As a young cartoonist, Walt Disney faced many

rejections from newspaper editors, who said he
had no talent. One day a minister at a church
hired him to draw some cartoons. Disney was
working out of a small mouse- infested shed near
the church. After seeing a small mouse, he was
inspired. That was the start of Mickey Mouse.
EVERY SUCCESS STORY IS A STORY
OF GREAT FAILURE

A New York Times editorial on 10 December

1903, questioned the wisdom of the Wright
Brothers who were trying to invent a machine,
heavier than air, that would fly. One week later,
at Kitty Hawk, the Wright Brothers took their
famous flight.
EVERY SUCCESS STORY IS A STORY
OF GREAT FAILURE

One day a partially deaf four year old kid came

home with a note in his pocket from his teacher,
“Your Tommy is too stupid to learn, get him out of
the school.” His mother read the note and
answered, “My Tommy is not stupid to learn; I
will teach him myself.” And that Tommy grew up
to be the great Thomas Edison. Thomas Edison
had only three months of formal schooling and he
was partially deaf.
EVERY SUCCESS STORY IS A STORY
OF GREAT FAILURE

In 1914, Thomas Edison, at age 67, lost his

factory, which was worth a few million dollars, to
fire. It had very little insurance. No longer a
young man, Edison watched his lifetime effort go
up in smoke and said, “There is great value in
disaster. All our mistakes are burnt up. Thank
God we can start anew.” In spite of disaster, three
weeks later, he invented the phonograph.
What an attitude!
IF YOU THINK
If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t!
If you like to win, but think you can’t,
It's almost a cinch you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost;

For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will;
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are,

You’ve got to think high to rise,
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go

To the stronger and faster man,
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.
QUALITIES THAT MAKE A PERSON
SUCCESSFUL
o Desire- A burning desire is the starting point of all
accomplish-ment. Just like a small fire cannot give
much heat, a weak desire cannot produce great results.

o Commitment- The quality of a person's life is in direct

proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless
of their chosen field of endeavor.
- Vince Lombardi

o Responsibility- Responsible people accept and learn

from their mistakes.
QUALITIES THAT MAKE A PERSON
SUCCESSFUL
o Hard Work- The average person puts only 25% of his
energy and ability into his work. The world takes off its
hat to those who put in more than 50% of their capacity,
and stands on its head for those few and far between
souls who devote 100%.
- Andrew Carnegie
o Character- George Washington said, "I hope I shall
always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain
what I consider the most valuable of all titles, the
character of an honest man."

o Positive Believing- Positive believing is an attitude of

confidence that comes with preparation.
QUALITIES THAT MAKE A PERSON
SUCCESSFUL
o Give more than you get - Winners put in 100% and
then some more.

o Persistence - Nothing will take the place of persistence.

Talent will not : Nothing is more common than
unsuccessful people with talent . Genius will not :
Unrewarded genius is a proverb. Education will not: The
world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and
determination alone are omnipotent.
- Calvin Coolidge
DON’T QUIT
When things go wrong,
As they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit
It's when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit.
QUALITIES THAT MAKE A PERSON
SUCCESSFUL
o Pride of performance - If a man is called to be street
sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted,
or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He
should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and
earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who
did his job well.

- Martin Luger King, Jr.

o Be Willing to Be a Student - The best teachers will not

give you something to drink, they will make you thirsty. They
will put you on a path to seek answers.
LUCK SHINES ON THE DESERVING

Alexander Graham Bell was desperately trying to

invent a hearing aid for his partially deaf wife.
He failed at inventing a hearing aid but in the
process discovered the principles of the telephone.
You wouldn’t call someone like that lucky, would
you? Good luck is when opportunity meets
preparation. Without effort and preparation,
lucky coincidences don’t happen.
LUCK
He worked by day
And toiled by night.
He gave up play
And some delight.
Dry books he read,
New things to learn.
And forged ahead,
Success to earn.
He plodded on with
Faith and pluck;
And when he won,
Men called it luck.

--Anonymous
EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION
MOTIVATION

Motivation is like fire unless you keep adding

fuel to it, it dies. Just like exercise and food don’t
last long, neither does motivation. However, if
the source of motivation is belief in inner values,
it becomes long-lasting.

Experience has shown that people will do a lot for

money, more for a good leader, and do most for a
belief. We see this happening every day all over
the world. People will die for a belief.
STEPS FOR BUILDING POSITIVE
SELF-ESTEEM

Turn Scars into Stars - Some of the best music was

composed by Beethoven. What was his handicap? He
was deaf. Some of the best poetry written on nature
was written by Milton. What was his handicap? He
was blind. One of the greatest world leaders was US
President Franklin D. Roosevelt. What was his
handicap? He served from a wheelchair.
STEPS FOR BUILDING POSITIVE
SELF-ESTEEM
Learn Intelligent Ignorance
I'm looking for a lot of men with an infinite capacity for not
knowing what cannot be done. - Henry Ford

Henry Ford gave this world the V8 engine. He did not have
much formal education. In fact, he did not go to school
beyond the age of 14. He was intelligent enough to know
there had to be a V8 engine but he was ignorant and didn’t
know how to build it. So he asked all his highly qualified,
educated people to build one. But they told him what could
be done and what couldn’t. According to them, a V8 was an
impossibility. But Henry Ford insisted on having his V8. A
few months later he asked his people if they had the V8 and
they replied, “We know what can be done and we also know
what cannot be done and V8 is an impossibility.” This went
on for many months and still Henry Ford said, “I want my
V8.” And shortly thereafter the same people produced his V8
engine.
STEPS FOR BUILDING POSITIVE
SELF-ESTEEM
Do Something for Others Who Cannot Repay
You in Cash or Kind
Dr. Karl Menninger, a world-renowned psychiatrist,
was once asked, “What would you advise someone
if you knew that person was going to have a
nervous breakdown?” The audience expected Dr.
Menninger to advise consulting a professional.
But he didn’t. He said, “I would advise that
person to lock home, go to the other side of town,
find someone in need and help that person. By
doing that we get out of our own way.”
A lot of times we get in our own way, don't we?
STEPS FOR BUILDING POSITIVE
SELF-ESTEEM

Learn to Give and Receive Compliments

Don’t miss out on any opportunity to give sincere

compliments. Remember, the key word is
sincerity. When others give you a compliment,
accept it graciously and gracefully with two
words, “Thank you.” That is a sign of humility.
STEPS FOR BUILDING POSITIVE
SELF-ESTEEM

Accept responsibility

If the average life expectancy of a person is 75

years and if you are 40 years old, you have 365
days x 35 years, to live. Ask yourself this
question: What are you going to do with this
time? When we accept or add responsibility, we
make ourselves more valuable.
STEPS FOR BUILDING POSITIVE
SELF-ESTEEM

Set Goals

Well-defined goals give a person a sense of

direction, a feeling of accomplishment when he
reaches his goals. More important than goals is a
sense of purpose and vision. It gives meaning and
fulfillment to life.
STEPS FOR BUILDING POSITIVE
SELF-ESTEEM

Associate with People of High Moral

Character

Associate yourself with people of good quality if

you esteem your reputation, for it is better to be
alone than to be in bad company.

- George Washington
STEPS FOR BUILDING POSITIVE
SELF-ESTEEM
Become Internally Driven, Not Externally Driven

No one can make you feel inferior without your

permission.
- Eleanor Roosevelt

There is a story about an ancient Indian sage who was

called ugly names by a passerby. The sage listened
unperturbed till the man ran out of words. He asked the
man, “If an offering is not accepted, who does it belong to?”
The man replied, “It belongs to the person who offered it.”
The sage said, “I refuse to accept your offering,” and
walked away, leaving the man dazed. The sage was
internally driven.
STEPS FOR BUILDING POSITIVE
SELF-ESTEEM
Develop a Mindset That Brings Happiness

Look for the positive in every person and in every situation.

Resolve to be happy.

Set your own standards judiciously.

Develop an immunity to negative criticism.

Learn to find pleasure in every little thing.

Remember all times are not the same. Ups and downs are part of
life.

Make the best of every situation.

Keep yourself constructively occupied.

Help others less fortunate than yourself.

Learn to get over things. Don’t brood.

Forgive yourself and others. Don’t hold guilt or bear grudges.
STEPS FOR BUILDING POSITIVE
SELF-ESTEEM
Have patience

In China there is a bamboo tree which is planted,

watered and fertilized for the first four years and
nothing happens. There is no visible sign of
growth. But sometime during the fifth year, the
bamboo tree grows about 90 feet in six weeks. The
question is: Did the bamboo tree grow in six weeks
or did it take five years to grow even though there
was no visible sign it was taking root in the
ground?
LIFE IS AN ECHO

Benjamin Franklin said, “When you are good to
others, you are best to yourself.”

Our life is like an echo: We get back what we give.

It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life

that no man can sincerely try to help another without
helping himself. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Goodness has a way of coming back; that is the

nature of the beast. One doesn’t have to do good with
a desire to get back. It just happens automatically.
 LIFE IS AN ECHO
Many years ago two boys were working their way through
Stanford University. Their funds got desperately low, and the
idea came to them to engage Ignacy Paderewski for a piano
recital. They would use the funds to help pay their board and
tuition. The great pianist’s manager asked for a guarantee of
$2,000.The guarantee was a lot of money in those days, but
the boys agreed and proceeded to promote the concert. They
worked hard, only to find that they had grossed only $1,600.
After the concert the two boys told the great artist the bad news.
They gave him the entire $1,600, along with a promissory note
for $400, explaining that they would earn the amount at the
earliest possible moment and send the money to him. It looked
like the end of their college careers.
“No, boys,” replied Paderewski, “that won’t do.” Then, tearing
the note in two, he returned the money to them as well. “Now,”
he told them, “take out of this $1,600 all of your expenses and
keep for each of you 10 percent of the balance for your work.
Let me have the rest.” Cont’d…
LIFE IS AN ECHO
The years rolled by. World War-I came and went.
Paderewski, now premier of Poland, was striving to feed
thousands of starving people in his native land. The only
person in the world who could help him was Herbert
Hoover, who was in charge of the US Food and Relief
Bureau. Hoover responded and soon thousands of tons of
food were sent to Poland.
After the starving people were fed, Paderewski journeyed
to Paris to thank Hoover for the relief sent him.
“That's all right, Mr. Paderewski ,” was Hoover's reply.
“Besides, you don’t remember it, but you helped me once
when I was a student at college, and I was in trouble.”
WE SEE THINGS NOT THE WAY
THEY ARE BUT THE WAY WE ARE
There is a legend about a wise man who was sitting
outside his village. A traveler came up and asked
him, “What kind of people live in this village, because
I am looking to move from my present one?” The wise
man asked, “What kind of people live where you want
to move from?” The man said, “They are mean, cruel,
rude.” The wise man replied, “The same kind of
people live in this village too.” After some time
another traveler came by and asked the same
question and the wise man asked him, “What kind of
people live where you want to move from?” And the
traveler replied, “The people are very kind, courteous,
polite and good.” The wise man said, “You will find
the same kind of people here too.”
STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 1: Accept Responsibility

“Responsibilities gravitate to the person who can

shoulder them.” - Elbert Hubbard

People who don’t accept responsibility shift the

blame to their parents, teachers, genes, God, fate,
luck or the stars.

For evil to flourish, good people have to do nothing

and evil shall flourish. - Edmund Burke
STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 2: Consideration
One day, a ten-year-old boy went to an ice-cream shop, sat
at a table and asked the waitress, “How much is an ice-
cream cone?” She said, “seventy-five cents.” The boy started
counting the coins he had in his hand. Then he asked how
much a small cup of ice-cream was. The waitress
impatiently replied, “sixty- five cents.” The boy said, “I will
have the small ice-cream cup.” He had his ice-cream, paid
the bill and left. When the waitress came to pick up the
empty plate, she was touched. Underneath were ten one-
cent coins as tip.
The little boy had consideration for the waitress before he
ordered his ice-cream. He showed sensitivity and caring.
He thought of others before himself.
STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 3: Think win-win

When we serve our customers, our families, our

employers and employees, we automatically win.

Step 4: Choose Your Words Carefully

A person who says what he likes usually ends up

hearing what he doesn't like. Be tactful.
Excessive talking does not mean communication. Talk
less; say more.
STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 5: Don’t criticize & complain

A critic is like a back-seat driver who drives the

driver mad.

Receiving criticism

1. Take it graciously.
2. Evaluate. If it makes sense, accept and implement.
3. Accept it immediately and empathetically
4. Always thank the other person for criticizing in
constructive manner.
STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 6: Smile & Be Kind
In the course of the day, some of your acquaintances may
be too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours.
Nobody needs a smile so much as those who have none
left to give.

Step 7: Put Positive Interpretation on Other

People's Behavior
In the absence of sufficient facts, people instinctively
put a negative interpretation on others’ actions or
inactions. Some people suffer from “paranoia”; they
think the world is out to get them. That is not true.
STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 8: Be a good listener

Listening shows caring. When you show a caring attitude

toward another person, that person feels impor-tant. When
he feels important, he is more motivated and more receptive
to your ideas.

An open ear is the only believable sign of an open heart.

- David Augsburger

Step 9: Be Enthusiastic

Nothing great is ever achieved without enthusiasm.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson
STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 10: Give Honest and Sincere Appreciation

The psychologist William James said, “One of the deepest

desires of human beings is the desire to be appreciated. The
feeling of being unwanted is hurtful.”

The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis but

rather the feeling of being unwanted.
- Mother Teresa

Step 11: When We Make a Mistake, We Should Accept

It immediately and Willingly
GIVING APPRECIATION
1. Be specific
2. Be sincere
3. Time bound – should be immediate
STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 12: When the Other Person Realizes and Admits
That He Has Made a Mistake, Congratulate Him and
Give Him a Way Out to Save Face

Step 13: Discuss But Don't Argue

Arguing is like fighting a losing battle. Even if one wins,
the cost may be more than the victory is worth. Emotional
battles leave a residual ill will even if you win.

I learned a long time ago never to wrestle with a pig. You

get dirty and besides, the pig likes it. - Cyrus Ching
STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 14: Don't Gossip

“Small people talk about other people, mediocre people talk

about things, great people talk about ideas.”

Step 15: Turn Your Promises into Commitments

Commitment says, “I am predictable in the unpredictable

future.”
The most important commitment we ever make is to our
values.

Commitment leads to enduring relationships through thick

and thin. It shows in a person’s personality and
relationships.
STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 16: Be Grateful But Do Not Expect Gratitude

Gratitude would rank among the top qualities that

form the character and personality of an individual
with integrity. Ego stands in the way of showing
gratitude. A gracious attitude changes our outlook in
life. With gratitude and humility, right actions come
naturally.

Step 17: Be Dependable and Practice Loyalty

The old adage, “an ounce of loyalty is worth more than

a pound of cleverness,” is universal and eternal.
STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 18: Avoid Bearing Grudges. Forgive and
Forget

John Kennedy once said, “Forgive the other person but

don't forget their name.”

“You cheat me once, shame on you; you cheat me twice,

shame on me.”

Step 19: Practice Honesty, Integrity, and Sincerity

STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 20: Practice humility

Many years ago, a rider came across some soldiers who

were trying to move a heavy log without success. The
corporal was standing by as the men struggled. The rider
asked the corporal why he wasn’t helping. The corporal
replied, “I am the corporal; I give orders.” The rider
dismounted, went up and stood by the soldiers and as they
were lifting the log, he helped them. With his help, the log
got moved. The rider quietly mounted his horse and went to
the corporal and said, “The next time your men need help,
send for the Commander-in-Chief.” After he left, the
corporal and his men found out that the rider was George
Washington

Step 21: Be understanding & caring

 STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 22: Practice courtesy on daily basis
Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength.
- Eric Hoffer
Step 23: Develop a Sense of Humor
Dr. Norman Cousins, author of Anatomy of An Illness, is a
prime example of how a person can cure himself of a terminal
illness. He had a 1-in-500 chance of recovery, but Cousin
wanted to prove that if there was anything like mind over
matter, he'd make it a reality. He figured if negative emotions
caused negative chemicals in our body, then the reverse must
be true too. Positive emotions, like happiness and laughter,
would bring positive chemicals into our system. He moved
from the hospital to a hotel and rented humorous movies and
literally cured himself by laughing.
STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 24: Don’t Be Sarcastic and Put Others Down

When someone blushes with embarrassment, when

someone carries away an ache, when something sacred
is made to appear common, when someone’s weakness
provides the laughter, when profanity is required to
make it funny, when a child is brought to tears or
when everyone can't join in the laughter, it's a poor
joke. - Cliff Thomas

Step 25: To Have a Friend, Be a Friend

STEPS FOR BUILDING A POSITIVE
PERSONALITY
Step 26: Show Empathy

Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate

with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and
tolerant of the weak and wrong. Because some time in
our lives we would have been all of these ourselves.

- Lloyd Shearer, 1986

PROBLEM SOLVING
1. Is it a problem or is it an inconvenience?
2. If it’s a problem, please write down the problem.
3. Please write down what are the possible causes
of the problem.
4. Write down the possible solutions.
5. What solutions do you recommend.
6. Why do you recommend this one.
COMMUNICATION

Non-verbal communication : 55%

Tone of voice : 38%

Verbal communication : 7%
SERENITY PRAYER
God grant me the serenity to accept
the things that I cannot change and
courage to change the things I can
and wisdom to know the difference.